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PBG urine test

Porphobilinogen test; Porphyria - urine; PBG

Porphobilinogen (PBG) is one of several types of porphyrins found in your body. Porphyrins help form many important substances in the body. One of these is hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the blood. Porphyrins usually leave your body through urine or stools. If this process does not occur, porphyrins such as PBG can build up in your body.

This article describes the test to measure the amount of PBG in a urine sample.

How the Test is Performed

After you provide a urine sample, it is tested in the lab. This is called a random urine sample.

If needed, your health care provider may ask you to collect your urine at home over 24 hours. This is called a 24-hour urine sample. Your provider will tell you how to do this. Follow instructions exactly.

Collect your urine at home over 24 hour

The urine 24-hour volume test measures the amount of urine produced in a day. The amount of creatinine, protein, and other chemicals released into t...

Normal Results

For a random urine sample, a negative test result is considered normal.

If the test is done on a 24-hour urine sample, the normal value is less than 4 milligrams per 24 hours (18 micromoles per 24 hours).

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different specimens. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.